The largest part of the brain is the cerebrum, which has a surface made of furrows and ridges — a pattern that is unique in each person. The grooves are called sulci when shallow, and gyri when deep. Gyri and some of the large sulci outline four functional areas, called lobes: the parietal, occipital, temporal, and frontal lobe.
The frontal lobe is the so-called ‘center of intelligence’ or a ‘control panel’ of our personality, because it regulates and controls all intellectual processes, movement, speech, as well as some aspects of our personality.
Location of the Frontal Lobe
Traditionally, the lobes are labeled after the names of the skull bones that lie on top of them. The frontal lobe (Lat. lobus frontalis) is the largest one of the lobes in the central cortex, and it’s located near the front of the skull, as its name implies.
It extends from the frontal pole to the central sulcus on the side surface of the hemisphere, under the frontal skull bones and near the forehead.
What Is the Structure and Function of Frontal Lobe?
The frontal lobe in the cerebral cortex plays a vital role in memory, attention, motivation, the production of speech, and our visual attention.
This area of the cerebral cortex is made out of two paired lobes, which are labeled as the left and right frontal cortex. Just like the two hemispheres of the brain, these two frontal lobes control opposite sides of the body.
The left frontal lobe relates to the cognitive processes in the brain, while the right frontal lobe relates to our non-verbal abilities.
Namely, the nerve cells from the left side of the body transmit their information to the nerve cells of the right side of the cerebral cortex, and vice versa. In a way, they’re responsible for the brain mapping out the corresponding parts of the body.
The frontal lobe is divided into three sulci: precentral, superior, and inferior frontal. They, again, divide the frontal lobe into four gyri (anterior central, superior, middle, and inferior frontal).
Furthermore, the frontal lobe consists of several vital regions:
- The primary motor cortex (M1, Brodmann area 4)
- The prefrontal cortex (Brodmann area 6)
- The frontal eye fields (Brodmann area 8)
- The dorsolateral prefrontal cortex (Brodmann area 45-49)
- Broca’s area
Primary Motor Cortex (M1, Brodmann area 4)
Located on the precentral gyrus, i.e. at the back of the frontal lobe, the primary motor cortex of the frontal lobes regulates and controls voluntary movements of our body. With the help of the nerve connections to the spinal cord, it can control, plan, and execute the movements of our muscles by sending signals to the corresponding brain center.
The neurons from the primary cortex receive signals from the primary somatosensory area (S1, on the postcentral gyrus) and premotor cortex, as well as from the ventral lateral nucleus of the thalamus, in order to process them and translate them into the corresponding actions in the brain.
Brodmann area 4 is located in the primary motor cortex of the frontal lobe. It is a center of the brain where the movements of our fingers, wrists, hands, or parts of the face, are controlled and regulated.
Prefrontal cortex (Brodmann area 6)
This part of the frontal lobe of the cerebral cortex is the most evolved (rational) part of the brain, responsible for the highest developed cognitive processes, such as learning, speaking, memorizing, comprehension, etc.
Brodmann area 6 is the region in the prefrontal cortex which plays a great role in the regulation of the cognitive function of the human brain.
Frontal eye fields (Brodmann area 8)
The Brodman area 8 is located behind the premotor cortex and its Brodman area 6. This area of the cortex includes the frontal eye fields, as they have a significant function in the control of the eye movements.
The frontal eye fields occupy the area between the middle frontal gyrus and the precentral gyrus. Their main function is to control and regulate visual attention and eye movements.
Dorsolateral prefrontal cortex (Brodmann area 45-49)
This area of the frontal lobe is a part of a complex neural network of the brain, connecting the orbitofrontal cortex, thalamus, parts of the basal ganglia (specifically, the dorsal caudate nucleus), and hippocampus. It’s responsible for memory, planning, inhibition, as well as abstract reasoning.
Brodmann areas 45-49, located in the dorsolateral prefrontal cortex, have a big role in the semantic tasks (BA 45) and aid our ability to generate meaning out of more abstract symbols, maintain concentration at a task (BA 46), feel empathy toward others (BA 47), etc.
Broca’s area
Broca’s area is the only region of the brain responsible for the production of speech. Namely, by controlling the motor functions of the corresponding speech parts in the oral and nasal cavity, Broca’s area aids the mechanical production of speech.
The process of language comprehension also occurs in the Broca’s area of the cortex. While the semantic and phonological parts of language are processed and regulated in the back part of the Broca’s area, the production of speech is regulated in its front part.
To Sum Up
The frontal lobe is the largest and most upfront lobe of the cerebral cortex. It regulates the highest-level intellectual processes, such as: speaking, learning, memorizing, conceptualizing, etc.
This part of the brain consists of several wider regions (including the corresponding Brodmann areas). Those brain regions are responsible for the processing of the information received through the neural paths of the brain.
The frontal lobe is the area of the brain which controls our walking, running, ability to compare and distinguish one object from another, some personality traits (such as responsibility), etc. It controls and directs the muscles that move our feet, help us ride a bike, play tennis, etc.
In case of an injury or damage to the frontal lobe of the cerebral cortex, the following medical conditions can occur: memory loss, impaired vision, difficulty in speaking, reduced motor skills, forgetfulness (Dementia), to name several.
However, being a part of a highly complex system such as the human brain, the frontal lobe of the cerebral cortex interacts with the other parts of the brain in order to comply with the demands of the complex neural network and the processes in the brain.
Fun Facts
Did You Know?
- The frontal lobe is the center in the human brain dedicated to the regulation and control of articulated speech.
- Increased irritability, as well as changes in mood, are only some of the medical outcomes that can result from a change in the frontal lobe.
- The frontal lobe is vital for the functions of the brain which appear to be uniquely human, such as our consciousness.
- An injury to the primary motor cortex of the frontal lobe can lead to paralysis, i.e inability to perform fine motor movements (fingers, wrists, hands) or move the other parts of the body.
- The prefrontal cortex benefits immensely from positive thinking, due to the fact that positive thoughts and emotions lead to the rise of dopamine levels, which are useful for the brain.
- Negative feelings and thoughts lead to decreased activity of the prefrontal cortex of the frontal lobe, which can result in difficulty in learning.
- If damage is inflicted to the Broca’s area of the frontal lobe, the individual will have difficulty in speaking.
- Broca’s area is located in the dominant brain hemisphere of the individual, which is usually the left one.
- The frontal lobe is the last area of the brain to mature. The full maturity of the frontal lobe finishes when we are around 25 years of age. This explains the immaturity of youngsters.
- Understanding other people’s feelings also occurs in the frontal lobe, which makes it one of the most important emotion control centers of the brain.